Syringe



0t. 29, 1963 '.LM. KoLBAs 3,108,591

SYRINGE Filed May 29, 1962 JOHN M. Kobe/x5 A INVENTOR. BY M www* w14 @vom U. (fa-Juul 3,108,591 1 SYRlNGE .lona Michael Hotties, Syracuse, FLY., assigner to Bristolli/iyers tiompany, New Yorlr, NX., a corporation oi Delaware Filed May 29, 1962, Ser. No. 1%,521 7 Claims. (Cl. 12S- 213) This invention relates to hypodermic syringes and more particularly to hypodermic syringes for use in the adminlistration of medicaments which are unstable in water and which require dissolution by the addition of water or other liquids before they are injected.

Irrnlodern medical practice it is frequently desirable to have medicaments for hypodermic injections prepared in advance in exact dosages. [it is necessary with some medicaments :to have the ingredients thereof, which may be a powder and a diluent or two liquids, stored 1n a segregated 'manner and mixed just prior totheir injection. This is especially true, for example, when injecting drugs such `as the new penicillins and some tetracyoline derivatives which are unstable in water. Hypodermic syringes have been provided with an ampule adapted to contain the ingredients of a medicament in a segregated manner, `and these syringes have been provided with various means for mixing and discharging the contents of the ampule. All of these known hypodermic syringes have a common detect, viz., they contarn a great number of parts, and consequently they are expensive to manufacture and awkward to operate. It is believed that this factor is responsible lfor the absence from the market at the present time of a hypodermic syringe of this nature.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of this invention to provide a hypodermic syringe of simple construction which will be adapted to contain the :ingredients of a medicament in `a segregated manner and mix these ingredients in the syringe just prior to an injection.

`lt is a unther object of this invention to provide a hypodermic syringe adapted to hermetically seal a liquid in' the barrel or body oi the syringe.

Itis an even further object of this invention to provide a hypodermic syringe having ampule adapted to hermetically seal a medicament therein and act as a piston for mixing a liquid with the medicament.

lt is a further `object of this invention to provide a hypodermic syringe having a cannular needle for making an injection and acting as a passageway to communicate the segregated contents of the hypodermic syringe.

-It is a further object of this invention to provide a hypodermic syringe having a cap member adapted to seal the needle and act as a plunger handle for discharging the contents of the syringe.

llt is a still further object of this invention to provide a hypodermic needle having few par-ts with theattendant advantages of ease in sterilization and economy in manufacture. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following speciication and claims wherein like numerals refer to similar parts throughout:

FIGURE l is a longitudinal sectional view of the hypodermic syringe `of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal section of the syringe showing the ampule almost fully seated therein; and

FEGURE 3 is a longitudinal section of the syringe showing the ampule fully seated therein.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the hypodermic syringe of this invention will be seen to include a hollow barrel or body member lll having a closed end with a reduced frusto-conical portion lll. The opposite end of the barrel is open, and it has an integral annular ilange which may be used as a linger grip when handling the hypodcrmic syringe. A standard cannular needle l2 is securely mounted in an axial passageway in the frustoconical portion of the barrel l0. ylt will be noted that this needle is pointed at both of its ends and that a substantial portion of the needle extends within the closed end of the barrel. A small aperture 13 is provided in the Wall of the needle l2 at a point therealong so that the aperture l will be just inside of the hollow barrel lil. The barrel l@ is preferably made of glass, but, of course, it may be made of `any suitable material. Preferably, these materials will be transparent.

A cap lo, which may be made of plastic, is provided to cover and maintain the sterility of the portion of the needle l2 projecting from the barrel. Additionally, this cap serves the dual function of `acting as` a seal for the outer end of the needle l2 and acting as a plunger handle for discharging the mixed medicament from the hypodermic syringe. The cap 14 contains an axial bore i5 opening into `a tapering portion lo which is frictionally engageable with the rusto-conical portion 1l of the barrel ttl. A threadable connection, or any other suitable connecting means, ray be provided for detachably securing the cap l@ to the barrel it?. Disposed in the innermost portion of the |bore l5 is a sealant 1.7 of soft rubber, cotton or the like, adapted to receive and seal the needle l2. At the tip of the cap i4 is a hub portion 1S having a plurality ot threads thereon adapting the cap for use as an operating handle in discharging the contents ot the syringe. This feature will be referred to in greater detail below. An integral annular flange 19 is provided at the other end of the cap 14 to allow the cap to be more easily grasped by a person.

An ampule, generally designated 2%, includes an openended tube 2l having a stopper 22 in one of its ends land a stopper 23 in its other end. The forwardmost stopper 22 has `an annular portion 2f@ adapted .to it snugly -in the tube 2i and an enlarged portion 25 adapted to ht snugly in the barrel lt. lt is not essential, of course, that a portion of the stopper 22 extend into the tube, but this is the preferred embodiment. As will be seen below, this enlarged portion 25, which has a diameter substantially the same as the inside diameter of the barrel lt?, is `adapted to act as a piston for expelling a liquid from the chamber to delined by the innermost portion or" the barrel and the stopper 22,. The rearwardmost stopper 2.3, which fits wholly within the tube 2l, deiines with the stopper 22 and the tube Ztl a chamber 2.7 for 4a medicament to be injected. The stopper 23 has a threaded recess 25 in `the outer face thereof adapted to receive the hub l of the cap 14. Preferably, the tube 2l is of `a length allowing it to be received wholly within the barrel lt? when the stopper Z2 is in its yfully seated position. rlChe tube 2l may be formed from glass, plastic, or any other suitable transparent material; preferably the Stoppers are made from rubber.

The operation of the hypodermic syringe of this invention is as follows: j

The syringe will be supplied to the user inthe contiguration shown in HG. l. In this arrangement, a medicament Z9 in powder form is hermetically sealed in the ampule Zit. A diluent 3l? is hermetically sealed in the closed end of the barrel ld by the stopper 22 of the ampule 2l?. The filling of the syringe with the diluent 36 ymay be accomplished by pouring the desired amount of lthe same into the barrel lll before the tampule 2l) is inserted in piace. During this step the barrel llt) is held in -a generally vertical position with the cap i4 snapped in place .thereby sealing the end of the needle l2. Next, the ampule 20 containing the medicament is inserted in the barrel lll to hermetically seal the diluent therein. To allow lair to a escape from the chamber 2.6 during insertion of the ampule 2G, the cap 14 may be -temporarily removed and the needle 12 pointed in an upward direction. This action will allow air to escape, and it will prevent loss of the diluent. rille cap 1li is replaced after the ampule 20 is inserted in the barrel 1i? to a position where the stopper 22 is just out `of contact with the inner pointed end of the needle 12. Alternatively, the syringe may be filled with a diluent by placing a hollow tube of small diameter against the inside wall of the barrel 1i! when the syringe is heid in a vertical position with the cap 14 enclosing and sealing the needle. This tube extends from the closed end of the barrel and out from the open end of the barrel because of its small diameter and the resilience of the stopper 22 the ampule 2l) will not be prevented from entering the barrel. The hollow tube will permit air to escape during insention of the ampule 2d, and the tube is easily removed when the ampule 26 is located in its proper position in the barrel 10.

The hypodermic syringe is shipped in the conguration of FIG. 1. It is preferably packaged in a container designed to preclude accidental insertion `of the ampule 2i? to a point where the stopper 22` would Contact the pointed end of the needle 12..

When it is desired to make an injection, the hypodermic syringe is removed from the package and the `ampule is driven home in the barrel 1t) by engaging the outer end of the ampule with the palm of `ones hand. it should be readily apparent that during this movement of the ampule 20 the stopper 22 will be pierced bly the inner pointed end of the needle 12. By virtue of the aperture 13 and the hollow needle 12, the chamber 2,6 will be placed in communication with the chamber 27. Accordingly, continued inward movement of the ampule Ztl will force the liquid from the chamber 26 through the aperture 13 and the needle 12 into the chamber 27 where it will be allowed to mix with the medicament 29. When the stopper 22 arrives at its fully seated position in the barrel 16, it will have completely discharged the diluent and at the same time sealed the aperture 13. The hypodermic needle is now given `a shaking action to completely mix the contents in the ampule 20.

Now, to make an injection in the vein of a patient, it is `only necessary to remove the cap 14 from the frustoconical portion 11 of the barrel 11i and threadably engage the cap into the stopper 23. In the embodiment shown herein this connection is accomplished by means -of the threaded hub 18 and the threaded recess 28. Obviously, other forms for accomplishing this connection could be provided. For example, the tip of the cap 14 could be made to snap into a recess `in the stopper 23. After a connection has been made between the cap 14 and the stopper 23, the latter member is pushed inwardly in the ampule discharging the contents therein through the needle 12 and in-to the vein of the patient.

When making a hypoderrnic injection, it is desirable to provide a means to determine if the injection will be an intravenous one or lon an injection in the tissues surrounding the veins. The hypodermic syringe of this invention provides a means to make this test. Since the cap 14 is attached to the stopper 23, the latter may be withdrawn slightly before an injection is made. If blood appears in the ampule, the user of the syringe will know that the injection will be intravenous. During this rearward movement of the stopper Z3, it may be necessary to place ones thumbnail over the outer end of the ampule 20 to prevent it from being withdrawn from the barrel 16. Whether this is necessary will depend, `of course, on the relative degree of frictional engagement between the stopper 22 and the barrel 19 as contrasted with frictional engagement between the stopper 23 and -ampule 2G. Even if the entire ampule is withdrawn slightly during the test, the presence or absence of blood would be indicated in the barrel 1G forward of the stopper 22.

The `operation of the hypodermic syringe of this invenl tion has been illustrated by referring -to the mixing of a medicament in powder form with a diluent. However, it will ybe understood that this is not to be taken as limiting the adaptability of this invention in that the hypodermic syringe may be used to mix and discharge medicaments in other suitable forms.

It will be apparent that by this invention a hypodermic syringe has been provided which is simple in construction and which will maintain the ingredients of a medicament in a segregated manner and allow them to be easily mixed and discharged `when an injection is desired to be made. The entire hypodermic syringe Lmay be considered as disposable since all parts of the syringe are simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture. It may be desired to retain and re-sterilize the barrel and needle, as this is the most expensive single unit of the syringe. The ampule Z@ and cap 14 may be disposed of with little economic loss. Another advantage resulting from the simplicity of construction of the hypodermic syringe of this invention resides in the ease by which it may be highly sterilized.

While this invention has been shown in but one form, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A hypodermic syringe comprising, a barrel being open at one end and closed at its opposite end, a hollow needle being pointed at beth ends thereof and being secured in the `closed end of said barrel with `one end extending into said barrel, an aperture in the wall of said needle in the portion thereof extending into said barrel, removable sealing means sealing the end of said needle extending outside of said barrel `and an elongated ampule received in the open end of said barrel and having a stopper in each end thereof for containing a medicament, the forwardrnost of said Stoppers having a diameter substantially the same as the inside diameter of said barrel and adapted to seal a diluent in the forward portion of said barrel, said forwardmost stopper adapted to be punctured by the inner end of said needle for communicating said diluent with said medica-ment, and the rearwardmest of said stoppe-rs adapted to act as a plunger for discharging the contents of said ampule.

2. A hypodermic syringe according to claim 1 wherein said sealing means is a detachable cap enclosing and sealing the portion of said needle extending outside said barrel, and said rearwardmost stopper has attachment means on the outer Iface thereof for engaging a tip of said cap when said cap has been removed from said barrel, whereby said cap may be used as a handle to force said rearwardmost -stopper into said rampule.

3. A hypoderrnic syringe comprising, a barrel being open at one end and closed at its opposite end, a hollow needle being pointed at both ends thereof and being sccured in the closed end of said `barrel with one end extending into said barrel, an aperture in the wall of said needle in the portion thereof extending into said barrel, a removable cap engaged with the closed end of said barrel for enclosing said needle :and having a sealant therein for sealing the outer end of Asaid needle, an elongated ampule received in the open end of said barrel and having a stopper in each end thereof for `containing a medicament, the forwardmost of said Stoppers having a hollow cylindrical portion adapted to iit within said ampule and having a solid portion with a `diameter substantially the same as the inside diameter of said barrel, said forwardmoet stopper adapted to act as a piston and a seal for a diluent in the forward portion of said barrel, said solid portion of said forwardmost stopper adapted to be punetured by the inner end of said needle for communicating said diluent with said medicament, and the rearwardmost of said stoppers having a diameter substantially the same as the inside diameter of said ampule and adapted to act as a plunger for discharging the contents of said ampule when said cap has been removed.

4. A hypodeirnic syringe according to claim 3 wherein said rearwardmost stopper has attachment means on the outer face thereof for engaging the tip of said ycap when said `cap has been removed from said barrel, whereby said cap may be used as -a handle to force said rearwardmost stopper into `s aid lampule.

5. A hypoderniic syringe according to claim 3 wherein said cap comprises a cylindrical member having an open end =frictionally engageable with the closed end of said barrel and having a closed end adapted tto contain a sealant for sealing said needle, said cap having attachi ment means on its lclosed end for engaging said rearwardmost stopper.

6. A hypoderrnic syringe according to claim 3 wherein `said yarmgmle is of a length allowing it to =be received whollywithin said barrel when said forwardmost stopper covers `said aperture in said needle.

7. A hypodermic syringe comprising, a barrel being open Xat one end and closed at its opposite end, a hollow needle being pointed at both 1ends thereof and being secured in the closed end of said barrel with one end eX- tending into said barrel, an aperture in the wall of said needle in the pontion thereof extending into` said barrel, an elongated cap engaged with the closed end orf said barrel for enclosing and sealing said needle, and an elongated 6 {ff ampule received in the open end of said barrel and having a `stopper in each end thereof rfor hermetically sealing a medicament therein, the forwardrnost of said Stoppers having a diameter substantially the same as the inside diameter of said barrel and defining with the 4closed end portion of said barrel la chamber lfor hermetically sealing a diluent therein, said forwardrnost stopper adapted to be punctured `by the inner end `of said needle upon forward movement of said am-pule rfor communicating said diluent with said medica-ment through said apenture and said hollow needle, and the rearwardmost of said Stoppers adapted to act 4as ya plunger for discharging the contents of said ampule when said cap has been removed.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,159,217 Lozier et al May 23, 1939 2,193,322 Lozier et al. Mar. 12, 1940 2,453,590 P-oux Nov. 9, 1948 2,490,553 Smith Dec. 6, 1949 2,653,607 Deans Sept. 29, 1953 2,684,068 Owens July 20, 1954 2,687,728 Copen Aug. 31, 1954 2,834,346 Adams May 13, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 493,373 Canada June 2, 1953 

1. A HYPODERMIC SYRINGE COMPRISING, A BARREL BEING OPEN AT ONE END AND CLOSED AT ITS OPPOSITE END, A HOLLOW NEEDLE BEING POINTED AT BOTH ENDS THEREOF AND BEING SECURED IN THE CLOSED END OF SAID BARREL WITH ONE END EXTENDING INTO SAID BARREL, AN APERTURE IN THE WALL OF SAID NEEDLE IN THE PORTION THEREOF EXTENDING INTO SAID BARREL, REMOVABLE SEALING MEANS SEALING THE END OF SAID NEEDLE EXTENDING OUTSIDE OF SAID BARREL AND AN ELONGATED AMPULE RECEIVED IN THE OPEN END OF SAID BARREL AND HAVING A STOPPER IN EACH END THEREOF FOR CONTAINING A MEDICAMENT, THE FORWARDMOST OF SAID STOPPERS HAING A DIAMETER SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME AS THE INSIDE DIAMETER OF SAID BARREL AND ADAPTED TO SEAL A DILUENT IN THE FORWARD PORTION OF SAID BARREL, SAID FORWARDMOST STOPPER ADAPTED TO BE PUNCTURED BY THE INNER END OF SAID NEEDLE FOR COMMUNICATING SAID DILUENT WITH SAID MEDICAMENT, AND THE REARWARDMOST OF SAID STOPPERS ADAPTED TO ACT AS A PLUNGER FOR DISCHARGING THE CONTENTS OF SAID AMPULE. 